Please, Help Save Trove
For any Australian historian (family, local, or social historian) Trove is the ultimate GO-TO site. It is the National Library of Australia’s site, which is accessed by around 20 million people every year, and contains about six billion (that’s right BILLION) digital items, including newspapers, magazines, photographs, journals, parliamentary papers and more … and it’s all FREE!!
However due to huge funding cuts over a number of years, and the fact that Federal funding for the National Library of Australia’s digital resource ends in June 2023, means that Trove could cease operations, or at least in its current form.
What if there was no Trove?
But to us researchers, a life without Trove is as unthinkable as life without Google.
This is Australia’s primary institution, the one that provides access to not only what the National Library of Australia itself holds, but access to holdings from 900 or so other Australian institutions. This is portal for Australia’s heritage, and yet depite it being used on a globa scale, is being treated as unimportant.
What can we do?
We have been asked to use our voice (well technically fingers), to sign a petition, and spread the word far and wide. But there is a time limit … the petition date is 22 February 2023. So we don’t have much time.
There was a Change.org petition for this topic, but it’s been said that the government only acts on “official” petitions. So another one was started by the same person, and this official petition will be presented to parliament. So if you care about access to Australia’s history, even if you don’t use Trove, please take a few moments to sign the petition.
And if you want to read more about what the organisations are saying, here are links to a number of articles about it:
- Online resource Trove is due to run out of government funding in six months, National Library of Australia warns
- Trove’s funding runs out in July 2023 – it’s time for a radical overhaul
- Trove in trouble: why does it cost money to keep the resource online?
- National Library’s digital archive Trove under threat
- Trove thrown overboard amid funding cuts
- National Library’s treasure Trove under threat from budget cuts
- National Library of Australia’s free digital archives may be forced to close without funding
- Trove’s funding is under threat. It’s time for an overhaul
- Speak up for Trove
[banner graphic used with permission from GenealogySA]
10 Responses to “Please, Help Save Trove”
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One can only sign the Trove petition link to the gov’t if one is an Australian citizen.
Sadly yes, only Australian citizens can sign the government petition.
Trove is essential for every Australian. It should be available for everyone to access. It is unbelievable that the Government would contemplate not funding this essential service. Every school child should be able to use it as a resource as it contains our history – important history that can be found nowhere else.
TROVE can be of assistance to EVERY interested Australian Citizen. Funding would always be of Universal benefit, and NOT targetted to minority, special interest, and often antagonistic pressure groups
100% agree, Trove is useful for everybody, but it does seem to be the history/genealogy field that know it best, and use it on a daily basis. But I do 100% agree with you though.
I have used Trove on the odd occasion that my 81 Year old memory cannot remember what my Grand parents have told me , with the NSW DEPARTMENT OF planning , and Environment in NSW DESTRIOYING heritage , and the Environment especially in the Parramatta a region. Since I was born in 56 O’Connell street NORTH parramatta in 1942, and then working all around there , and the Greater Sydney Region from Gosford @ Peat and Milson Isla do, around through The Jenolan Caves , and Megalong Valley , and down to Larks Hill, Raith , and Cawdor , with the Public Works Department from 1958 o; most of th3 Government Buildings in the GreaterRegion. I am Disgusted in what the Department of The Premier, and The Department of Plsnning and Environments in NSW ! DESTROYING , AND Removing Heritage buildings around the State .this cannot be allowed to happen as the only Permanent Records. Are being Destroyed , and our History is being removed by the day , without consultation with th3+General Zpublic, or any recordings being made o& what was a tuall6 in existence prior to the Destruction by theState Government
Trove is the most important site on Australian Internet. It must continue to be available to all Australian citizens and their future families. Why is it even under consideration for being removed? How else could I have known that my very shy Grand-dad, as Santa handed gifts to at least 300 children at the Morningside C of E. Christmas party long before I was born in 1934 and can now pass that information to my own 30 plus, Great Grandchildren as well as lots of other family news that I located in Trove.
Audrey Dillon.
I have used Trove extensively in my quest to trace my family tree and it has been invaluable in confirming people, places and events supporting what little information one can gain from church records and censuses etc. It would be a huge tragedy and waste to loose this information and to loose our history associated with this country and the people who worked hard to develop and create the industry in this country. Too much built history is being lost everyday through developers including the changes to museums without now having to see Trove being trashed. Please continue to fund Trove
I sent this to my representative.
FUNDING FOR TROVE (National Library)
Gil Robertson
Tue, 7 Feb, 15:53 (7 days ago)
to Rowan
Hi! Rowan,
I am very concerned to be informed by the SA Genealogy Society, that they have learned that the Government you oppose, are intending to dramatically cut funding for the National Library in the coming round of funding.
We are further informed that should this take place, it would most likely spell the end for the Section called TROVE.
I am sure that you are well informed on the workings of the National Library, but I seek to remind you that TROVE is the ” Window on the World, past and present ” for those people who live rural and remote AND researchers, professional and recreational AND those who are disabled and or of restricted mobility. As you know, I tick all these boxes.
I ask that you consider if you will support funding for TROVE as being of importance when deciding your stance during the pending financial battle.
Gil Robertson,
Heritage Consultant.
.
I have been researching my family history for decades and Trove has been one of my main sources in my work. As we all know, Family History research never ends, and I am now in my 80s and still expanding on my past work. I need TROVE from time to time. By this I mean quite often, because it has been so helpful.